Running
by Samara-Morgan-101
Summary: In the summer after Ootp. Harry ends up in the wrong place at the wrong time and is blamed for a murder. he runs away from everyone and everything and meets a girl.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any other stuff. If I did I wouldn't be here would I?  
  
Summary: Set after Ootp. Harry can't take it anymore so he runs away and meets a girl.  
  
Rating: PG 13 for mild language and suicidal stuff.  
  
A/N: This is my second story I have written. This sucks but I write for fun. Nothing else. Also anything that is written like "This" is Harry's thoughts.  
  
******************************************************** Chapter 1  
  
"Give us a shout, if you need us. If we don't hear from you for three days in a row we'll send someone along.....  
  
Moody's words echoed in Harry's head as he sat up in his bedroom. Sighing he tore a piece of parchment and wrote on it.  
  
Everything is fine. Hedwig's been happy to be going in and out every couple of days. The Dursley's are feeding me. No weird dreams or anything. - Harry.  
  
He looked down at the letter. Most of it was true, except that he was still having dreams. Looking at the clock, Harry fastened the noted to Hedwig's leg and she took of out the window. Looking at the clock again, Harry laid back on his bed.  
  
"I'll be sixteen in twenty minutes"  
  
Harry began to let his mind wander and before he knew it he fell asleep.  
  
**************************************************  
  
"You sodding bastard. What the hell have we done to you?" A girl's voice screamed  
  
Harry answered in a cruel harsh voice "Since when do I need a reason to kill?''  
  
He raised his wand and screamed the words "AVADA KEDAVRA!"  
  
Harry's eye's snapped open. He sat up and looked at the clock. 1:30.  
  
"I've been sixteen for an hour and a half"  
  
Harry took a deep breath and opened the window. He knew that there would be some owls coming from people sending him birthday gifts. And sure enough a few minutes later Pig came flying into the room, squawking and fluttering around.  
  
"Pig, calm down or you'll wake up the Dursley's" Harry hissed.  
  
Taking the letter he opened it and it read:  
  
Happy birthday Harry! How's your Holiday? We're in London. We've been there for a few weeks. Fred and George's business has been great. Percy is talking to us again. Hermione isn't here but she's coming next week. It feels weird without Sirius here. I hope your not blaming yourself for it still. Errol has your present. And remember Harry IT WASN"T YOUR FAULT. -Ron.  
  
Harry smiled at little. Ron sounded like his mother. Telling him it wasn't his fault. IT WAS his fault that Sirius died. It still hadn't stopped hurting. Just then Errol burst into the room. Connected to his leg was a parcel. Untying it he placed Errol in Hedwig's cage. Inside was some assorted toffee's and a fake wand. Harry grinned; it was some Weaslys' Wizard Wheezes. Harry suddenly felt extremely tired and he flopped back on his bed and went to sleep. 


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: You all know HP doesn't belong to a 14-year-old Aussie girl.  
  
A/N: Please forgive me if this isn't very good. I'm a musician and English isn't my best subject  
  
Thanks to Ronandchicken, Daintress and xMadgirlx for reviewing.  
  
******************************************* Chapter 2  
  
It had been a few days since his birthday and Harry had received no other presents but Ron's. He was sitting in the gutter a few streets from Privet drive when he heard a scream. Jumping to his feet Harry ran to where it had came from.  
  
Narrowly missing the corner of the house Harry made his way to the back yard. He heard the unmistakable sound of someone disapparating and then Harry saw Mrs. Figg and Mark Evans (A/N he's mentioned in the OotP) laying dead on the ground. Harry stopped dead when he saw them. Mrs. Figg must have been babysitting Mark. A chill went up Harry's spine as he slowly approached them.  
  
"Oh God. Why? Mrs. Figg is a squib and Mark is a muggle"  
  
It hit Harry. Mrs. Figg was watching him for the order, to make sure he didn't run away or anything. And Mark must have been in the wrong place at the wrong time. He bent down to examine them when someone cried.  
  
"IT'S THAT POTTER BOY! HE KILLED MRS. FIGG AND MARK! SOMEONE CALL THE POLICE! HELP! HELP!"  
  
Harry jumped up immediately. It was one of the neighbors. Harry's heart began to thump hard in his chest. No one would believe him that he didn't do it. Harry began to run back to Privet drive.  
  
"I can't stay! If I do they'll arrest me"  
  
Harry burst into number four Privet drive and ran up the stairs to his room.  
  
"I have to be quick. What am I going to do? Where am I going to go?"  
  
Harry hesitated for a moment. He couldn't take his trunk, it was too heavy. Something like a backpack.  
  
"Does Dudley have a backpack?"  
  
Harry ran into Dudley's room and looked in the cupboard, sure enough there was a small backpack that one of his relatives had given him. Snatching it up he ran back into his own room and threw a few things in there. Some clothes, wizard money and his wand then he rushed down the stairs and came to a jolting halt when he saw the police in his living room. Harry took one look at them and sped off into the back yard. Bounding over the fence, Harry made for the road.  
  
"I'll call the knight bus and go to Diagon Alley and I'll work my way from there"  
  
Sticking his wand out on the road. With a large BANG, the purple knight Bus appeared before him.  
  
"Welcome to the kn-"  
  
"Take me to Diagon Alley now!" Harry shoved the money into Stan's hands and jumped aboard. With a large bang the knight bus sped off to London.  
  
Harry sat down on a chair. He'd done it now. He couldn't go back to the Dursley's now. Catching his breath he looked out at the scenery speeding past the window.  
  
*******************************************  
  
Harry thanked Stan and hopped off the knight bus.  
  
"Now what?"  
  
Harry glanced around Diagon Alley.  
  
"I'll probably have to go to gringots to get some more money to buy school things."  
  
After Harry had gotten his money he went to the Leaky Cauldron and sat down in a dark corner.  
  
"Well Sirius we're both 'supposed' murders now"  
  
"Did you here about Harry Potter?"  
  
Harry jumped at hearing his name.  
  
"No minister. What 'bout 'im?" Hagrid's voice sounded.  
  
"Fudge. Doesn't this guy ever leave me alone"  
  
"Well there was a death eater attack near where he lives and a muggle boy and a squib were killed and Harry.well you know that boy has a habit of showing up at things like that"  
  
"Course he does. Brave boy he is"  
  
"Well anyway. Someone saw him there, a muggle and ah.they called the police. They thought that Harry murdered them"  
  
"WHAT! Harry would never-"  
  
"I know he wouldn't. But he ran from the Muggle house and we think he might of come here" Fudge actually sounded worried.  
  
"Hagrid I am aware that you and Harry are close so if you see him, please tell me. Dumbledore is on his way. Dreadful stuff. Harry can't go home now"  
  
"And that's such a disappointment"  
  
"Ah. Minister. I'll tell 'yeh if I see 'im" Hagrid replied.  
  
"By the looks of it. Harry might not be able to step out in the muggle world again. Not in Britain anyway"  
  
Harry slid down the back of his seat. Fudge's words replayed in his mind.  
  
"You know that boy has a habit of showing up at things like that"  
  
Harry looked around. Hagrid was talking to some people and he had his back to him. Maybe he could slip out and...  
  
"Then what?"  
  
Harry thought for a minute.  
  
"I'll just keep moving. Like Sirius did"  
  
Harry slowly began to move towards the door.  
  
"That's it. You're almost there"  
  
"Harry?"  
  
"Damn"  
  
Harry turned around and Hagrid was standing behind him.  
  
"Er.hi Hagrid" Harry mumbled.  
  
'Harry I was just talkin' about yeh"  
  
"I'm sure you were"  
  
"Yes. Harry. Everyone's been looking for yeh"  
  
"I wonder why?"  
  
Hagrid seemed to miss the sarcasm. " Well Harry. All these muggles think you murdered some people and you running away wasn't real smart"  
  
Harry just stood there. Not paying any attention to what Hagrid was saying.  
  
"I wonder where I'm going to live now?"  
  
"'Arry. You listenin'?"  
  
"No' he said bluntly.  
  
Hagrid looked taken aback. "Yeh don't have to be rude"  
  
"Why? Oh that's right. Everyone thinks I'm a goody-two shoes. Well maybe I did murder those people" Harry snapped.  
  
Hagrid looked shocked. "You didn't?"  
  
"In a way I did. They were looking for me," Harry said, coolly.  
  
"No. 'Arry. Don't say that"  
  
"WELL IT'S TRUE! ISN'T IT? IT WAS MY FAULT SIRIUS DIED. IT WAS MY FAULT CEDRIC DIED. AND COME TO THINK OF IT, MY PARENT'S WOULDN'T HAVE DIED IF THAT STUPID PROPHECY HADN'T BEEN MADE!"  
  
The whole place was quiet. Everyone was looking at him.  
  
"So I guess I am a murder" Harry said quietly and with that he spun around and walked out.  
  
"What am I going to do now?"  
  
Harry kept walking.  
  
"I should run. Go on the knight bus really far away. Away from England. Yes that would work. I could go were no one knows me. But where? Maybe America? No. I've heard too much about people getting shot there. Somewhere in Europe maybe? No too close. What about Australia? Yes that would be great. It's on the other side of the world and everyone says it nice there. (A/N: No offence to any Americans. I'm choosing Australia because I know a lot about it cuz I live there)  
  
Harry decided on it. He would go to Australia and live there. Make a new life where no one would know him. Before Harry knew what he was doing. He called the knight Bus and was speeding away from England.  
  
****************************************************** Up next Harry goes to Aus and meets a girl. 


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Harry Potter doesn't belong to me. Duh!  
  
A/N: Okay for everyone who is wondering why Harry is going to Australia it's because I can't write about somewhere I haven't been to good okay? So Harry is going to Aus because I am familiar with it. THANKS.  
  
************************************************************** Chapter 3  
  
The first thing that hit Harry when he got of the night's bus was that it was right in the middle of the day. When he had left it had been evening. (A/N: England is about 6 hours behind I think)  
  
"Okay. What am I going to do now?"  
  
Harry wandered around for a while looking at shops and looking for a place he could sleep the night. It had soon hit him that he only had wizard money and in is hurry to leave, he'd forgot to exchange it.  
  
"I guess I'm sleeping on the street tonight"  
  
After looking for a few hours. He finally came across a park. It was about five o'clock now so he just sat on the bench for a little while. It was peaceful. There was a large tree shading him and a cool breeze washing over him. Leaning his head back, he closed his eyes and began to relax. He didn't even notice someone was sitting beside him until a voice said  
  
"Hi"  
  
Harry's eyes snapped open and he looked straight in the face of a girl. Her hair was a reddish brown colour and looked like it had been hacked at. It fell around her shoulders and her eyes were a hazel colour.  
  
"I'm sorry I scared you" she went on "I'm Alex Carson by the way" She grinned at him.  
  
"I'm Harry Potter" He waited for her eyes to widen and go "really?" but she didn't she just nodded and asked  
  
"Did you runaway too?"  
  
Harry nodded.  
  
"Where from?" She prompted.  
  
"London"  
  
"Really. You must have had a lot of money"  
  
"Yes but I spent it all on the plane ticket"  
  
"Well I ran way from a small town down in new south whales. I hid in a trailer for most of the way then I was found and they tossed me out," She said.  
  
"Where exactly am I?"  
  
"Brisbane. You obviously just jumped on any plane away from that place"  
  
"Yeah that's basically it"  
  
"What you run away for?" She asked.  
  
"My friend died and my family hate me" Harry decided that it was true to an extent.  
  
"My mum's got a drinking problem and my father takes out his problem's on me so I just left"  
  
Harry looked at her. She was wearing ripped jeans and a dirty white shirt. She looked as if she'd been running for a while.  
  
"Are you hungry?" She asked.  
  
"Yeah starving"  
  
"Me too. Come on I'll get us some food" She stood up and Harry followed her.  
  
"She looks like she knows her way around"  
  
Harry followed her until they came to a pizza shop.  
  
"What pizza do you like?"  
  
"Um.whatever you want," Harry said.  
  
She walked in and Harry waited outside. Eventually she came out with a large pizza box.  
  
"How much to I owe you?" he asked  
  
"Nothing. I didn't pay for it either"  
  
Harry looked at her for a second.  
  
"Come on. I'll show you where you can sleep"  
  
Harry was beginning to get a bad feeling about this.  
  
*************************************************************  
  
Harry stood outside a large train crate.  
  
"This is it?"  
  
"Yeah. It's cool for a one night stay over"  
  
Harry was getting skeptical about this.  
  
"Maybe I should just go home?"  
  
"No. You don't have one"  
  
"You coming Harry?"  
  
"Yeah"  
  
Harry slipped into the crate and noticed that Alex had started on the pizza.  
  
"You could of waited for me"  
  
Alex shrugged "yeah I could of"  
  
Harry sat down and tackled the pizza.  
  
"Save a few pieces for breakfast" She said.  
  
"Alex. How did you get this pizza for free?" Harry asked.  
  
"Well I ordered the Pizza and went to the bathroom and then came back and got the pizza. It was a different guy so when he asked for the money I said I already paid and he bought it" She grinned at him.  
  
"How many times have you done that?"  
  
"I do it all the time but never at the same place."  
  
They sat in silence after that.  
  
"Where you heading to after this?" Alex asked as she finished off her pizza.  
  
"Dunno. I'm as far away as I want but I can't live like this" Harry realized he probably offended her but she nodded and replied  
  
"Yeah. I hate living like this. It's fun the first couple of days but it gets boring after that. I'm heading for up north for a fruit-picking job. Hopefully that money will get me a house and then I'll probably try and go back to school"  
  
"Can I come with you?" Harry asked.  
  
She looked at him for a moment. Considering it.  
  
"Sure. I could use a travel buddy" she grinned at him.  
  
"Thanks Alex" Harry returned her grin. 


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Dude. If I owned it. Would I be writing it HERE FOR FREE!  
  
A/N: I warn you this chapter has stuff about abuse in it. Thanks for the reviews.  
  
************************************************************  
  
Chapter 4 -  
  
The sound of a passing train dragged Harry out of unconsciousness. He could hear the train fading away in the distance. He couldn't even remember going to sleep. Then he heard someone snoring, for one moment he thought it was Ron but then he remembered.  
  
"I'll probably never see them again"  
  
He sighed and pushed through the hole in the wall of the crate. The night air was cool and washed over his face. He could see the train tracks in the distance. The moonlight made it easy to see. Harry sat down against the crate. The night was clear and you could see the stars and everything. The clear night also made it easy to see something in the sky. An owl.  
  
"Oh no"  
  
The owl swooped down and Harry removed the envelope. It was a howler. Harry carefully opened it and Mrs. Weasly's voice screamed out in the night air.  
  
"Harry Potter! How could you run away like that! I've been so worried! We've all been worried! I know that Sirius' death has been rough on you but it's no reason to run away. You could of come to me or anyone in the order. They would have helped you. I hope this has made you come to your senses!"  
  
Then the red envelope burst into flames. Harry had been too busy with the howler that he hadn't noticed the other owls land. There were four all up. Harry checked if any others had howlers. They didn't. He picked up and opened a letter attached to a brown owl. It was his Hogwarts letter. He smiled and a bitter laugh escaped his lips.  
  
'Like I need it"  
  
He tore it into confetti-sized pieces and moved on to the next owl. Which was pig, he was twittering about as usually. Harry opened the letter.  
  
Harry. HOW STUPID ARE YOU! ARE YOU COMPLETELY INSANE! Mum is in a total panic. Hermione and me are really worried. Harry none of this is your fault. Please come back. Life is rubbish without you -Ron.  
  
Harry moved on. He had a feeling that most of the letters were going to be like Ron's. The next one was from Hermione.  
  
Dear Harry.  
  
I thought you were smarter than this to run away. You don't know how much everyone misses you. Hagrid was really upset when we saw him. He thinks it's his fault. Dumbledore is going of his rocket. We saw him the night after you ran away. He was extremely angry and worried. We all are. There was a meeting. I think they might be coming after you. Don't ask how they are going too. And Harry.Happy birthday. I was busy and forgot to send you a present. Please come back.  
  
From Hermione.  
  
Harry was about to open the last letter when a voice startled him.  
  
"Harry?"  
  
He turned around to see Alex's head out of the hole in the crate.  
  
"Alex I -"  
  
"A wizard" She finished.  
  
Harry looked at her. He had thought she was muggle.  
  
"Are you-"  
  
"I don't know. When I said about my parents. I wasn't telling the whole truth. You see my dad left me when I was about two. I'm not sure what happened but his mind was suddenly changed about having a muggle for a wife. So he left and my mum started drinking. Then she met Steve. He's my step dad. He's a total Bastard. He's really violent. He did this to me"  
  
She lifted her shirt at the back, revealing scars like lash marks. Harry let out a low hiss.  
  
"The reason I ran away was because of my little brother. Steve was getting really angry and I wasn't home and he took it out on my little brother. I came home and I don't know what happened but I lost it and hit him. Then he went nuts and I ran. I came back later that night for some stuff. Then I left. I swear to god he would have killed me. He used to fling me across the room just for talking back to him." She sighed.  
  
Harry looked at her for a second. He felt stupid then. His problems felt minimal compared to hers. A few minutes silence followed.  
  
"Are you going to open that?" Alex broke the silence.  
  
Harry looked down at the letter. He opened it and a light came out of the envelope. It shone for a few seconds before dying out. There was nothing in the letter.  
  
"I think we should go" Harry said.  
  
"Why?" Alex asked.  
  
"I have a feeling that the letter was some sought of tracking spell"  
  
"It's almost sunrise. There should be a train coming. Maybe we could jump it." Alex said.  
  
Harry nodded.  
  
**************************************************************  
  
"That was fun," Alex laughed.  
  
Harry smiled. They had just run after a train and as Alex put it 'jumped' it. They were sitting in on a cart with cars on it. They sat between two cars and taking turns telling funny stories. Alex reminded Harry of Fred and George. She was funny and carefree.  
  
"Well me and my best friend Abby were bridesmaids at her mothers wedding. Caroline, Abby's mum was like family to me. Anyway it was the wedding reception and Abby and me went around sipping at the drinks. Anyway we were giggling about something totally stupid and Caroline calls Abby up to the stage for a toast and she goes up and she's wobbling everywhere and when's up there, passes out in front of everyone." Alex laughed.  
  
"My best friend Ron. He broke his wand in second year and he couldn't use it without it backfiring. He snuck into Draco Malfoy's dorm and did a spell to make all his clothes disappear and it backfired so he ended up running around Hogwarts naked." Harry began to choke.  
  
Alex laughed. "We went camping and we were miles from the toilet so if we need to go we'd squat. So it was the middle of the night and I needed to go and I began to squat when these guys flashed their torches on me with my pants around my ankles"  
  
Harry had tears in his eyes. He felt so happy. Nothing could ruin his mood. Until a noise was heard behind him. Harry spun around and to his horror it was the last person he wanted to see right then.  
  
*************************************************************** Who is it? Review and find out! 


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: HP doesn't belong to me. DON"T RUB IT IN  
  
A/N: Thank you to Ronaldchicken, harry-potter-luva14 and linky2 for reviewing my last chapter. Also a thanks to psalatino who review chapter 3. I was tossing up the idea that it was Sirius that was behind Harry but as much as I love him. He'd dead.  
  
***********************************************************  
  
Chapter 5-  
  
"Snape" Harry spluttered.  
  
"That's right. Potter. Everyone seems to think if they send you a few letters you'll come back on you own accord. I, of course, knew better. So I sent you a situater letter."  
  
Spotting Harry's puzzled look he continued. "I placed a situater spell on that letter potter. The light that came out of it was taking an image of where you were and of course you left it open didn't you? So I saw you get on this train with that girl"  
  
He looked around "Where is she?"  
  
Harry turned back to the empty spot where Alex had been sitting.  
  
"I don't know" Harry said, turning back to Snape to see Alex running at him.  
  
She pushed him over the edge of the train and tumbled down into a field.  
  
"Come on" Alex said, snatching up Harry.  
  
"What?" Harry said.  
  
"Let's move onto a different cart. We can stop at the next station"  
  
**********************************************************  
  
Snape lay unconscious in the field for a long time. By the time he awoke Harry and Alex had long gone. He grumbled and stood up. Doing a last scan of the area, he disapparated.  
  
******************************************************** "Alex where are we?" Harry asked as he looked around the city.  
  
"Sunshine coast I think" Alex said.  
  
As Harry and Alex made there way through town, a few people gave them dirty looks. Harry couldn't understand why until he looked down at himself. His jeans were a dusty shade of black and he realized he hadn't taken a shower in days. Alex seemed to read his mind.  
  
"I'm trying to get to the beach so we can find a caravan park"  
  
"Why?" Harry asked puzzled.  
  
"Because they have showers and we can wash our clothes there" Alex said over her shoulder.  
  
'Oh okay" Harry said.  
  
It was a fair walk to the beach from town but they found a caravan park easily.  
  
"We can stay here the night too but we can only stay one night" Alex said.  
  
"Why? It's really nice here"  
  
"I'll write them a check under a fake name. It takes a day to go through so we can run before it bounces" Alex grinned.  
  
Harry returned the smile. "I don't know what I'd do without you Alex"  
  
"Hey what are friends for?"  
  
She walked into the reception office and smiled at the receptionist. "Hi. Are we able to rent a cabin here?"  
  
The receptionist looked up. She was a thin woman about Mrs. Weasly's age.  
  
"Oh yes and how long would that be for?"  
  
"One night. Thank you" Alex answered.  
  
"And would that young gentleman being staying there too?" She asked, looking over at Harry.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"And what name would that be under miss?"  
  
Alex hesitated for a moment. "Kaye"  
  
"Okay will you be paying by cash, credit or check?"  
  
"Check" Alex pulled out a tacky checkbook from her bag, filled it out and handed it too her.  
  
"Cabin number 6. Here are the keys" She passed the keys to Alex.  
  
"Thank you" Alex walked back to Harry.  
  
"let's go and have a shower"  
  
************************************************************  
  
"Where do you think Harry is?" Ron asked.  
  
"I don't know. I hope he's alright," Hermione answered, sadly.  
  
"He'll be fine. Once he realizes how much he is missed he'll come back" Mrs. Weasly said, dishing out some food.  
  
"From where I was standing Potter looked like he was quite happy there" Snape's voice came from behind them.  
  
"What do you mean?" Ron asked.  
  
"I sent potter a situater letter. He's in Australia," He said coldly.  
  
"Why didn't you bring him back?" Mrs. Weasly's voice began to rise.  
  
"I would of, if his girlfriend hadn't pushed me off the train"  
  
"Harry hasn't got a girlfriend," Hermione said firmly.  
  
"He does now and they seemed quite happy together. I heard them. Laughing and joking about there friends."  
  
"Harry wouldn't be so nasty" Mrs. Weasly said.  
  
"Oh but he was. I never knew that it was your son who was the one running around the school naked"  
  
Ron's ears began to go pink.  
  
"I think we should give him another little visit" Snape said coolly.  
  
"And how do we do that?" Ron asked.  
  
********************************************************** Review. Come on you know you want to. 


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: HP isn't mine. DUH!  
  
A/N: I know I said I was going to stop this story. Well, I lied. I'm going to finish it, so here you go. An update!  
  
Chapter 6-  
  
Alex woke up first. She stretched her legs and walked out to the kitchen. She heard a faint knocking. She looked out the window to see an owl.  
  
"Bloody hell you'd think they'd get the drift" She said, opening the window she snatched the letter and she felt a weird sensation behind her navel. Then she noticed she was no longer in the cabin. She was surrounded by a bunch of people in robes.  
  
"Who's this?" Tonks asked.  
  
"That would be Potters new girlfriend" Alex recognized that voice. It was Snape.  
  
"Where's Potter?" Mad eye snapped at her.  
  
"What the fuck is going on?" She whispered.  
  
"Watch your language," Someone said.  
  
Alex noticed the letter on the floor and she grabbed it quickly. The weird sensation behind her navel happened again and she was back in the cabin. She threw the letter in the bin and ran into Harry's room.  
  
"HARRY! HARRY!" She shook him violently.  
  
Harry opened his eyes.  
  
"What is it Alex?"  
  
"I just touched this letter and I ended up with a bunch of wizards looking at me," Alex said.  
  
"Oh no" Harry said. "It was a Portkey"  
  
"A what?" Alex asked.  
  
"What time is it?" Harry asked.  
  
"About seven am. Why?"  
  
"We should get out of here," Harry said.  
  
"Good idea" Alex said. "That went well," Lupin remarked.  
  
"Was she a muggle?" Tonks asked.  
  
"Probably"  
  
"She looked like she hadn't had a descent meal in weeks" Mrs. Weasly commented.  
  
"I think that we should try a situater spell again," Mad Eye said.  
  
Conversation broke out in the order meeting. Everything went quiet when Dumbledore walked in.  
  
"Did it work?" He asked.  
  
"No. We got his girlfriend instead" Snape sneered.  
  
"Harry hasn't got a girlfriend," Mrs. Weasly said.  
  
"Look Molly, maybe Harry is going out with this girl. You don't know" Lupin said.  
  
"I think Harry is a lot of pain and he needs some help," She said.  
  
Remarks began to get shouted from every direction of the room.  
  
Harry and Alex were walking along the highway.  
  
"It looks like these people really care for you Harry" Alex said.  
  
"Yeah. They do" Harry whispered.  
  
"I think we can cut through the bush land" Alex said.  
  
"What if we get lost?" Harry asked.  
  
Alex shrugged. "There isn't that much bush"  
  
Harry followed Alex down the ditch and through the trees. Walking through the scrub, Alex and Harry didn't say a word. They continued to walk for a few hours in silence until they came to a small country town.  
  
"We can't stay here, it's a country town, they'll know we're not from around here" Alex remarked  
  
Harry nodded and followed Alex as she made her way through the town. Alex sat down in the gutter and Harry sat beside her.  
  
"You're lucky" Alex piped up suddenly  
  
"What?" Harry asked  
  
"You're lucky to have friends who care about you that much, I wish I did" Alex whispered  
  
Harry looked at her "But you had friends didn't you?"  
  
Alex sighed and said "No, everyone knew how crazy my family was, no one would touch me with a ten foot stick"  
  
"But you told me about your friends when we were on the train" Harry said, he couldn't believe it, Alex was a nice person, why on earth wouldn't anyone not want to be her friend?  
  
"That was when I was eleven, that was before mum met my step dad, before we moved before everything spun out of control" Alex looked as if she was going to cry.  
  
Harry was in shock, he knew what it felt like not to have friends.  
  
"Mum moved with him because she was off her face half the time and she couldn't care less as long as she had someone to sleep with" Alex explained in a bitter tone.  
  
Harry was silent  
  
"He was a horrible guy; he was the type that preyed on people like my mum. When we moved it was awful. The people seemed to know the minute we moved in that there was something seriously wrong with our family and they were horrible to us" Alex angrily wiped the tears that had escaped.  
  
"I'm sorry' Harry whispered  
  
"You know what the worse part of it was?" Alex said  
  
Harry looked at her  
  
"Mum thought he was the best guy on earth, much better than my real dad, I remember one night she threw a bottle at me when I told her that he hit me and said I was too much like my dad. I judged people before I knew them""  
  
Alex finished and Harry was stunned, he also felt guilty, here he was thinking he had the worse life on earth when there was people like Alex around. The two of them sat in silence until someone asked  
  
"Are you two alright?"  
  
Harry looked up, it was a policeman.  
  
"yes, we're fine" Harry answered  
  
"You don't look it, looks like you haven't had a bath or a decent meal in days" He remarked  
  
"We're fine" Alex said  
  
"And where would your parents be?" he continued, ignoring Alex.  
  
"Dead" Harry said before thinking  
  
Alex reacted quickly "Yeah, Alan here lives with me, he's my cousin. My parents are at the service station"  
  
"What's your name?" he asked Alex  
  
"Lucy" She answered  
  
"Do you have a last name?"  
  
Alex blurted the first thing that came to mind "Potter"  
  
Harry was a little surprised that she'd used his name but tried not to show it.  
  
"Lucy Potter and Alan...."  
  
"Carson" Harry said, he decided to use Alex's name since she'd used his.  
  
"Ah" He said then turning around he walked back down the street to his car. He opened the door and spoke into the radio.  
  
"Run" Alex hissed  
  
Harry stood up and began to run, Alex followed him.  
  
"HEY!" The policeman called  
  
Neither of them turned back, Alex and Harry jumped down the drain. They kept running until they were short of breath.  
  
"That was close" Alex gasped  
  
"Yeah" Harry said.  
  
It was about four o'clock and Alex decided they couldn't make it to the next town.  
  
"We'll sleep here" Alex said, gesturing towards the little tunnel created by a bridge over the drain.  
  
"What about food?" Harry asked  
  
"We'll have to go hungry, sorry" Alex apologized  
  
"That's alright" Harry said  
  
"Harry was sighted near a little country town, west of the sunshine coast" Dumbledore announced to the order.  
  
"By who?" Lupin asked  
  
"A policeman, I'm glad we informed the police about Harry" Dumbledore answered.  
  
"Was that girl with him?" Mrs. Weasly asked  
  
"Yes, from what we heard from the police her name is Alexandra Carson, she ran away from her home about a month ago and has been on the run ever since" Dumbledore said  
  
"What are we waiting for?" Moody growled "let's go get Potter"  
  
"I agree" Mrs. Weasly said.  
  
Dumbledore sighed; it wasn't going to be easy.  
  
Alex and Harry were sleeping on the hard concrete ground, when Harry heard a noise.  
  
"Over here" a male voice said.  
  
Harry sat up and soon he had a light flashing in his face.  
  
"I found them!" Someone called.  
  
Harry felt someone grab his arm and pull him up. Harry yelled out when suddenly his scar felt like someone had dug a knife into it. He was soon engulfed into an eternal darkness.  
  
Harry awoke to hear a beeping sound. Blinking a few times he realized he was in a hospital ward.  
  
"Alex?" He croaked  
  
A nurse walked into the room. "Hello, Harry right?" she asked  
  
"Where's Alex?" He asked  
  
"She's in the ward across the hall" The nurse answered  
  
"What happened?" Harry asked  
  
The nurse shrugged "I don't know, you and that girl were brought in by police"  
  
Harry felt his insides ice, police; they had been caught by police.  
  
"Why did they bring us here?" Harry asked  
  
"They were not sure if you were ill or hurt by the looks you just are extremely exhausted and a little starved" She answered then went off to tend to other patients.  
  
Harry got out of the bed and walked across the hall, Alex was in the bed nearest to the window. She was sleeping.  
  
"Alex?" He whispered  
  
She stirred and sat up. "Hey Harry, what happened last night? You screamed then just passed out. I tried to get the police away from us but they were a lot stronger than me"  
  
Harry sat down beside her, "I don't know, my scar just started hurting and I passed out"  
  
Alex looked at him strangely and then she whispered very quietly "Harry, you are the only male that has ever stood by me and hasn't tried to take advantage of me"  
  
Harry looked a little stunned at this then Alex leaned forward and kissed him. Harry knew he should have pulled back and told Alex he wasn't someone to become close with but Harry couldn't. He kissed her back, "This is so much better than my kiss with Cho" He thought  
  
Alex pulled away "I'm sorry if I was a little strong" she said  
  
Harry looked into her eyes, their was something about them that made him feel.....safe. Harry smiled "You are the only person I've met who has been through more emotional turmoil than me"  
  
"We're just two tortured souls who found each other" She laughed  
  
Harry smiled and began to kiss her again.

Hands up if you knew that was going to happen. waves hand in the air But it's not going to end like you expect it too. Anyway Review please!


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